The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: oinky on May 28, 2010, 11:48:22 am
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I'm a pig novice and started with 3 middlewhite weaners in March. They all looked like females to me when I chose them but now one of them is clearly a well-endowed lad.
I've heard about boar taint but as I plan to put them all to the sword in September I'm assuming that this won't be an issue. Am I correct? My next question I suppose is related - I'm also assuming that taint is caused by manly hormones which will present when they reach maturity. I'm therefore hoping that the said fellow will not start thinking about any hankypanky with his sisters before slaughter time. Can I sleep easy?
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Hi there
personally i'd think about sending your boy off if he's big enough at 24wks old, if you leave him with the girls longer than this he will definetly mate with them. We split all our boys & girl pigs up at 16wks as a precaution though we once kept a girl with 2 boys upto 22wks which is when they all went to the butcher. I have a 20wk old girl who has come into season already so they do mature early and sexual activity in boys is the biggest cause of boar taint. Is it possible for you to put him in a separate area next to the girls so he won't be lonely but can see them thro the fence until he goes off for pork?
HTH
mandy
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Ha ha! My first two Saddlebacks were supposed to be girls and they were both boys! We laughed so much when we put them out in their new field and realised!
I think that Fowgill Farm is right - September seems a long period from March weaners? My two lads didn't have any girls to call upon, but they were still "up for it" :o
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I would send him off early, that way no unwanted pregnancies. Its amazing what a determined boar will do to get to a female when she is in season (and vice versa)